Planning applications for housing developments of more than 100 residential units and 200 plus student bed spaces can now be made directly to An Bord Pleanála.

New legislation which allows for this type of application was enacted on 19th December 2016 and the associated regulations came into effect on 3rd July 2017.

The types of housing applications which can be made direct to An Bord Pleanála are referred to as Strategic Housing Development (SHD) and are defined as follows:

the development of more than 100 or more houses on land zoned for residential use or for a mixture of residential and other uses

the development of student accommodation units which, when combined, contain 200 or more bed spaces, on land the zoning of which facilitates the provision of student accommodation or a mixture of student accommodation and other uses thereon,

development as outlined above , or containing a mix of houses and student accommodation